Drake Maye vs Sam Darnold: Who Should You Start?
The numbers tell a clear story here. Drake Maye put up 21.1 fantasy points per game for the New England Patriots in 2025, while Sam Darnold managed 14.7 across 17 games with the Seattle Seahawks. A 6.4-point weekly edge is substantial at the quarterback position.
Drake Maye carries a 6.4-point PPG advantage from the 2025 season. That baseline matters, but it is one input among several. Matchup difficulty, scoring trends, and injury reports move the needle week to week, which is why the best answer changes depending on when you are asking.
Drake Maye offers meaningful rushing upside with 450 yards on the ground in 2025, which separates his floor from a pocket passer like Sam Darnold (4048 passing yards, 25 touchdowns). In games where the passing matchup looks ugly, that rushing production can be the entire difference on a start/sit call.
Bye weeks matter for roster construction: Drake Maye sits Week 14 while Sam Darnold is off Week 10. If you are deciding between the two as a season-long roster hold, the staggered byes actually work in your favor.
